Up, up and away! An Amazing Helicopter Trip in Hong Kong with Viator Travel

Flying high…

It’s no secret that we’ve got serious love for our city here at Sassy Hong Kong. Especially on those *flawless* days when the sky is blue (and relatively pollution-free…), the sun is shining and the city is sparkling. That’s why I was over the moon when I was invited to try out a Helicopter Tour with Viator Travel, a travel resource for researching and booking experiences all over the world. I already couldn’t believe my luck, but when I woke up and realised it was one of those rare, faultless days, I was walking with a skip in my step through the MTR.

The Helicopter Tour takes off from The Peninsula hotel, a truly sophisticated setting. Located on a secret top floor is the aviation themed The China Clipper lounge, which has spectacular views across the harbour. The views were only going to get better though!

We watched a safety video and were given the lowdown on what the flight would entail in this exclusive space, and after writing down our weight (shouldn’t have had that croissant for breakfast) and putting on our safety jackets, we were ready to board.

The helipad has got to have one of the coolest locations in the world. I was astounded by the view and we hadn’t even taken off yet! Getting in to the helicopter was exhilarating and when we were all strapped in, it was time to take off. The propellers started to whir and we gently lifted up into the air…

As we ascended, my eyes were transfixed on the awe-inspiring view below. The intricate, busy streets of Kowloon were laid out like a maze, and the higher we went, the more interesting the perspective was. Turning around towards the harbour, I couldn’t believe how lucky we were with the weather. The visibility was incredible and we could make out every tiny detail of the skyline – all the buildings were glimmering in the sunlight and the mountains were lush and seemed so green.

Journeying past Wan Chai, Happy Valley and up over the mountains, our pilot pointed out areas of interest and offered some interesting facts.

It was amazing to see the city I’ve grown up in and all the different areas I know so well from such a height – just keep in mind that you do get different views depending on which side of the helicopter you’re sitting on!

I loved seeing Hong Kong stadium from above, as well as Repulse Bay and Aberdeen (I may have made an over-excited ‘squeal’ when I saw the Aberdeen Boat Club where I spent many happy weekends as a kid).

Circling around Hong Kong only took 15 minutes, and it seemed to be the quickest 15 minutes of my life! I’m still not over this trip and would definitely suggest putting this on your Hong Kong bucket list.

It’s an expensive experience, but if you have a really special occasion on the horizon or save up for it, you won’t have any regrets. That being said, I’m not sure it would have been as impressive if it was a bit hazier or the weather wasn’t that good, as making out all the tiny details was one of the best things about it. I got very lucky! Regardless of the weather, it’s still a totally unique way to see the city and an experience you won’t forget.

Lauren

Lauren is the Senior Editor of Sassy Hong Kong. She was born and raised right here in Hong Kong and loves every part of the city and all its many contrasts. She loves to travel and is always on the look out for the next adventure…